The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-01-08
to publish my private conversation than to

| D. IL must ne taken TOR granted that a
conversation Is private unless IL IL distinct
| " understood u be meant for public use,
either by previous'arIangement, or by tx
press permission afterward.
4 When so made public, II must not be
printed until both parties TO the converse.
ton have agreed ~ to the accuracy OF the
report.
II may appear to the average reader and
to the average newspaper man that the
writer has l,ld down rules too strict 80 be
successfully adhered to, but If they should
b. in anywlse approached there would be
far less comment upon the general unre.
liability OF the prints of the day, and far
less Invasion of the rights Of private indi'
viduals. Private rights are as sacred In a
public transaction as they are in private
matter, and while II Is the duty of dis,
tinctively public agency, such as the press,
to give TO the public all the legitimate in.
formation that is the public's due, II is not
an imposed duty upon them In so doing to
grossly violate private confidence and pri.
va,e honor The reformation to be herein
wrought Is one that can only be brought
about by the united action of the ut wspa.
per men and their readers, and II is 10 he
hoped that they will no, hesitate in joining
hands.
The re nstatement of Henry Smith as
marshal Of Streator by the may aud
council of that city, after his having been
removed fr u ~ service for 'grant i'm
morality, is not at all credtable to them.
The excuse offered that Il petition was pre-
scented asking them 10 restore him to his
former position is II Sufficient t. justify
their act and their apparent want OF a
proper care for the best interests of the
city. There is nothing so absurd or use
less as a public petition AS rule II
means nothing, because those who sign 1t
do so without any thought as to the at
they are performing, The average man
signs petition for tn" sole reason that be
is asked to do so, and he feels disinclin.
alton to refuse 80 simple and inexpenslvea
request He does not sign with the sup
position that the request prayed for by the
same will be granted. With him it is a
matter of accommodatlon-nothing more
and nothing less.
This fact has led to the gro ?"nse OF
petitions, and made them OF 80 little value
in the ewes of those who are at all thought.
full OF who have knowledge Of this abuse.
It's hard to believe that Mayor Am-s and
the aldermen Of Streator could be so igno.
rant Of the worthlessness of Smiths peti-
ton, and their attempr to shield them
selves behind it is quite rs discreditable as
the act of restoration itself. As we under.
STAND it, there is no denial of imm"' al acts
with which Streator's peace officer Is
charged and on account of which he for.
felted his position. His g. 1t n-r ad-
mitted we fail to perceive any possible ex.
cuse for condoning his offense.
His restoration Is all the more censur.
able because the Office held by him is one
that has within IFS keeping the morals Of
the city. This very fact, of itself, necessi.
tated the more careful actions on their
part to avoid placing the city's best inter
ests In the han Is ~ one whose o,en acts
demonstrated not only want OF regard for
the decencles Of life, bu, malicious de,
fiance OF them.
1t may be that the morals Of Streator
may be purified by such action, but the
people of that city will pardon us If we
express very grave doubts up" the sub
ject. Pure morality, a proper appreciation
Of law, substantial progress, will hardly be
found in Strestor so long as the custodian
Of the city IS virtue Is wilful violator of
every obligation of virtue and cd
THE TATTLER.